Xavier :The tale of the broken

03. The meeting

Rain pounded the street like a warning from the heavens.

The man at the end of the alley didn’t move fast enough.

My fist connected with his jaw before the words even left his mouth.

He crumpled against the brick wall, groaning, blood mixing with rainwater at his feet. The sound lingered longer than it should have.

He had tried to rob me thinking l was an easy target but he was wrong.I stood over him for a moment, chest rising slowly, rain soaking through my shirt, dripping down my face like it was trying to wash something away.

To me nothing could be washed away not so easily anyways .It just didn’t.

I flexed my hand once, watching the blood mix with rain across my knuckles before turning away.The city didn’t care,no one even gave the scene a second glance as cars passed by lights flickering.

Life moved on like nothing had happened maybe that was the problem. l was the only one in pain no matter how much l tried to hide it from everyone, it stayed at the back of my mind. Every night when the silence settled it all came back breaking my walls down. Alcohol could only drown the memories but not make them disappear for good.The hooting of a car horn made me come back to reality.

l moved out of the way walking back to my apartment the silence embraced me with it's cold embrace. l closed the door behind me the banging of the door echoing in the silent space the more l walked the more it pressed. l dropped my keys on the table the sound echoed slightly, then disappeared.

l had no messages,no calls nothing my life was slowly losing it's colour.

Maybe my life was always dull but Lenny filled it with colour when she left ,she left with it. I walked toward the window and looked down at the street below. People moved in clusters, laughter drifting faintly upward, distant and disconnected.

Was this going to be my new normal from now onwards l didn't feel okay. Was l drifting to isolation and depression weak as they said a man still heartbroken moaning a broken unfixable relationship.But was l truly ever going to recover?

My jaw tightened even the thought of their names just made me angry .but … different less pain and more clarity.

I turned away from the window and grabbed a glass, pouring a drink taking a sip without ice cubes.The burn came slow this time as l let it sit not rushing it.For once, I wasn’t trying to drown anything I was just… thinking. A knock came later I didn’t move immediately just listened.

There was one knock then silence whoever it was they knew I would open eventually.

I walked towards the door slowly my hand hovered near the handle for a second longer before I pulled it open.Diego stood there not smiling.

“You took your time,” he walked in uninvited.

“I didn’t invite you,” I replied.

“Walk with me.” he walked towards me by the door l stood in his way.I held his gaze for a moment contemplating.

Then stepped aside just enough to grab my coat before closing the door behind me. We walked in silence at first the rain had eased into a drizzle, the streets reflecting neon lights in broken patterns beneath our feet.

"so are you going to tell me what you meant by like him yesterday?

"slip of tongue are you sure about your decision..? he tried to divert the topic in a different direction.

But It was already connecting things in my head,questioning motives, reading between words. After what he said last night l was never going to let things go that easily. But l would not ask him yet he wasn’t here by accident and neither was I.A car waited at the corner black its engine running Diego opened the back seat without hesitation but I paused then got in.

The drive was quiet there was no music no unnecessary conversation.Streetlights passed in intervals, casting shadows across the interior before disappearing again.I watched them even counted them without meaning to.Trying to understand where this was going.Trying to understand why I wasn’t stopping it where was the timid Xavier ..?

When we finally arrived, the building didn’t stand out that was the first thing I noticed. No signs and noise nothing that made it memorable.Which made it perfect Diego stepped out l followed. The air was heavy it felt like stepping into a place where things happened… but were never spoken about.

We walked down a narrow corridor, footsteps muted against the floor.A door waited at the end of the corridor Diego stopped in front of it, then glanced at me briefly.Then he opened it a man sat inside still watching me.The room didn’t need to be large his presence filled it anyway I didn’t speak nor move beyond the doorway.Something about him demanded that pause that acknowledgment.

“Come in,” he said calmly.

I stepped forward the door closed behind me with a soft click.

His eyes didn’t leave me not for a second.

“You’re different,” he said.

As much as l wanted to say thank you back something told me it was not a compliment he was observing me

“I’ve been told that.” l replied sternly with lack of excitement

“Tell me,” he continued, voice even, “what do you want?”

The question should’ve been simple but it wasn’t lmages flashed Liam...Lenny. The betrayal and anger if l wanted to take revenge l needed to have more leverage than them.

“Control,” I said.

A faint smile touched his lips a sign of approval.

“Good,” he said.

“Because revenge fades...control doesn’t.”

He looked at me one last time before speaking again

"Good. There is a shipment arriving tomorrow. You will ensure it reaches our safe house safely. Diego will monitor the situation with backup."

A test l thought ...

"Am I going in alone?"

"Not entirely. A few men will accompany you." His tone turned colder. "But the responsibility will be yours." I stood.

"Understood." Diego inclined his head. "Da, Pakhan."

Pakhan ..?So that was what they called him

The following day came faster than l expected it ..then again l was nervous about today. After the location was known we left immediately.The docks were quiet when we arrived.A massive cargo ship loomed against the dark sky.One of the men jogged toward the ship to collect the parcel, something felt off.

He reappeared minutes later carrying two black briefcases. He didn't reach the car. A suppressed shot sliced through his neck his body jerked. Then he dropped face-first onto the wet concrete. For half a second, everything froze then chaos erupted.

"Ambush!" someone shouted. Bullets shattered the silence windows exploded glass pieces flying.Another mafia group they wanted the shipment.

I moved fast, ducking low behind the car door as bullets continued being fired shards rained down around me.One bullet grazed my cheek warm liquid trickled down.Bruises and pain meant I was alive ,scared but I lunged forward, grabbed the two briefcases, and slid into the driver's seat.The engine roared as I slammed my foot down. Headlights appeared behind me.

Two cars weren't giving up even as l tried to lose them left turns and hard rights. A sharp corner helped me lose them the city blurred past.

"take another route ..l will send it to your GPS now "Diego spoke through my earpiece. l hesitated

"those weren't Pakhan’s orders " l said back

"change of plans...it's the safest "

l had no choice so l listened for a minute it seemed l had lost them.Gunshots cracked behind me they had found me a bullet slammed into the rear windshield.I exhaled slowly reached for the pistol Diego had given me the silencer was attached. Another car pulled up beside me.The driver leaned out with a weapon I fired once the windshield cracking that one caught them off guard.The car swerved violently and crashed into a pole one left.

My arm burned I'd been hit blood soaked into my sleeve but l didn't slow down. I waited for the right moment.The pursuing car edged closer. I steadied my breathing, leaned out slightly, and pulled the trigger the driver's head snapped back.The vehicle lost control silence returned my pulse slowed calming down. l drove straight to the coordinates on the GPS. The safe house was hidden behind an abandoned industrial building.

Diego leaned casually against a black Mercedes SUV, flipping a knife between his fingers.He smirked when he saw me step out of the car.

"You're not dead."

"You won't get rid of me that easily."His smirk widened.

"We thought you were finished when you disappeared from our sight."

"I was shaking them off."

"The parcel?"He glanced at the briefcases.

"It's safe."I handed them over.He opened one slightly and whistled.

"Do you know what you were carrying?"

"Drugs."

"Worth one billion."

l was genuinely shocked one billion but I buried it. My face remained unreadable.

"Pakhan will be impressed maybe take you under his wing." He left exhaustion hit me like a wave. I just wanted a shower and my whiskeys.

A taxi they called took me home something felt wrong the moment I stepped in the sitting room after my shower. lt was an envelope l didn't recognise from my bills. l had just picked everything up without noticing much inside one of the two were fresh dollar bills.

Payment from today’s work l guessed and a contract already signed by Pakhan.